my inheritance (g.w x o.c)

chapter forty-nine: the ordered meeting

We went up to the roof and apparated close to their home. We couldn't apparate right to the door because they'd placed a lot of protective spells. Apparently some people were able to just walk right up without them knowing. Very unsafe. We walked in silence. He held my hand tightly in his. He opened the back door, and we walked in. I looked around with a little smile. It was so homey. More of a home than I'd ever been in. It was full of pictures and knickknacks and Christmas decorations.

"Let me go see if they're upstairs," he spoke quietly, taking my coat from me and hanging it up. "You can sit at the table." I nodded, watching as he left. I crossed my arms and continued to look around. I made sure no one was around before walking over to the mantle. Family pictures covered the ledge and wall. I glanced through them, wishing I had even one picture of myself as a child. I laughed softly at a picture of him and Fred in a bathtub when they were little. I picked the picture frame up, watching as they splashed each other.

"They were barely two there," a voice spoke up from behind me. I jumped, turning around. Molly stood across the room, watching me. "Even at two, they kept me on my toes."

"I can imagine," I nodded. She stared at me for a moment, and I held the picture in shaky hands.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry for staring, I just, I never thought you'd be standing in my living room."

"I never thought I would be either if I'm honest," I admitted, putting the picture back down. "Sorry I was prying. I just, I don't exactly have any baby pictures so I just, I shouldn't have been snooping." She stared at me for a few more seconds before smiling.

"We have photo albums too. Would you like to see them?"

I smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah, that would be nice." She opened a chest and pulled out a book. I followed her to the table and sat down where she instructed. She opened the book, flipping a few pages. She pointed out a few pictures, explaining to me the backstories. I listened to every word as I watched the younger versions of Fred and George on the pages with a few of Ron and Ginny also catching my eye. I admired the fact that she remembered each image and could tell me exactly what was happening.

"And who knows maybe one day you'll have your own crazy twins," she added innocently to the end of a sentence, but it hit right in my heart. My smile faltered slightly as she turned the page. "Oh, look, here they were at..."

"Mom, there you are," George sighed, walking into the kitchen with his dad and Fred. He looked between us. "What's going on?"

"Just looking at old photos," his mom answered, closing the book. He looked at me, and I nodded.

"And everything's okay?" he asked cautiously.

"Of course, it is, dear," she promised, patting his arm as he passed. He took the seat she had been sitting in, resting a hand on my back. Fred sat on my other side.

"Bill and Lupin should be here any minute," Arthur explained, remaining standing. I nodded.

"Thank you for this, Mr. Weasley. I, I know we haven't always been on the same page."

"According to my son, we're more on the same page than I thought. So I'm sorry for judging you so quickly."

"Don't be," I shook my head, glancing at George. "I'd think the same thing. The Daily Prophet doesn't exactly portray a positive image." The back door opened and Bill and Lupin walked in.

"Well, I'll be..." Lupin smiled, slipping off his jacket. "Glad to see you changed your mind, Ms. Prince."

"I am too," I nodded. Everyone was silent for a moment before he spoke up again.

"Well, we better get started or we're never going to get through this." He sat across from me, and everyone else found seats around the table.

"Before we start," I interrupted, leaning forward. "You are aware of the risk of helping me right? I mean, if he found out that you were trying to protect me..." Lupin leaned forward, mimicking my hand placements.

"Are you aware of the risk you're taking by helping us?" Lupin asked in reply.

"Of course," I nodded. "And I'd risk it all to help."

He smiled. "We would too."

"But I'm-"

"Evil?" he interrupted. "His blood? The Heir?" He shook his head, looking at me like a father would look at his child. "We all know that, Hannah. It doesn't mean you have to be his pawn. At least not completely."

"Not completely?" I asked.

"Well, George here tells me you don't want to leave your post," he nodded to George.

"I can explain. It's not that I like my position, I just-"

"I think it's brilliant," he interrupted once again. Part of me liked the fact that he was brave enough to interrupt me so much. No one had ever done that. "Daring but brilliant." He watched me, and I him. "You know what this would mean, right?"

"Of course."

"How good are you at lying?"

"I've been doing it my whole life."

"And Occlumency? Legilimency?"

I nodded. "Snape trained me when I was-"

"Snape?" Arthur asked, and I looked down. "Should we really trust that he trained her correctly?"

"He did," I defended as kindly as possible. I looked over at him. "I know none of you trust him, but he did teach me well." I met Lupin's gaze. "I promise you that."

He nodded before looking at Arthur. "I couldn't imagine he wouldn't train her correctly. Voldemort would want her to have these skills." They all seemed to agree. "This makes our next few steps a lot easier."

We spent the next hour going over every minor step to get information shared from me to them. Since my mail was heavily guarded, it would have to be in code. And it could never be to the same house twice. And it couldn't be to any of the Order members houses. The easiest way was to share it right within the Ministry.

"I know this is putting a lot on the line so if you aren't comfortable with-"

"This plan is the most comforting one I've been a part of in a long time," I interrupted, leaning back into George's arm. "It sounds brilliant."

"Well, good," Lupin nodded, standing up. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again."

"You will." I shook his hand. "Tell Pinky and the baby I said hello."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who told you?"

"You did." I smiled softly. "Seems I should offer you a few Occlumency lessons." He shook his head.

"Too clever for your own good, Ms. Prince."

"How kind of you."

He said goodbye to everyone else before heading out. Arthur and Molly went up to bed, leaving me and the three boys.

"Well, Hannah Prince, I've heard people use a lot of words to describe you, but I think the most accurate would have to be badass," Bill smiled as he pulled on his jacket. I laughed lightly.

"Maybe I'll have to add a fang earring, and then I'll look the part too."

"Look at that, funny too. George forgot to mention that."

"Yeah, he was too busy going on and on about how pretty you were," Fred added, getting up to avoid George's hand. I laughed, leaning into George and resting a hand on his knee.

"They might have a point."

"As fun as this has been, I've got to head out," Bill sighed. "Hannah, when this is all over, we'll have dinner and a conversation with a lot less risk. Believe it or not, Fleur is an excellent cook."

"I'd like that," I nodded. We all said goodnight before he left.